💵🍁🛣️ Ontario and Marten Falls First Nation Break Ground on Ring of Fire Road 🚧

Monday, 31 August 2026 04:35.PM

- Construction on roads to the Ring of Fire is five years ahead of schedule, supporting economic reconciliation and unlocking the region’s vast potential -

Today, Premier Doug Ford, Marten Falls First Nation Chief Bruce Achneepineskum, Greg Rickford, Minister of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation and Minister Responsible for Ring of Fire Economic and Community Partnerships and Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation celebrated the start of construction on the Marten Falls Community Access Road, another historic milestone in the government’s plan to protect Ontario by building the roads to the Ring of Fire, five years ahead of schedule.

“We’re delivering on our promise to protect Ontario and stand up to President Trump by unlocking the Ring of Fire,” said Premier Ford. “The Marten Falls Community Access Road is a critical link in the Ring of Fire road network, connecting the people of Marten Falls to better services and good-paying local jobs while connecting the rest of Ontario to the incredible economic potential of the Ring of Fire. I want to thank Chief Bruce and all the community members for their partnership as we get shovels in the ground and build this road network five years ahead of schedule.”

Ontario’s ambitious Ring of Fire road delivery plan delivers on a core mandate commitment to help unlock the vast economic potential of critical minerals in the region, add $22 billion to Ontario’s economy, create 70,000 good-paying jobs, strengthen domestic supply chains and support long-term economic growth and shared prosperity for First Nations communities and Northern Ontario.

“Developing the corridor to shared prosperity starts with relationships, partnerships and leadership and that leadership remains on full display with Marten Falls and partnering First Nations in the Ring of Fire region,” said Minister Rickford. “Today is not simply about building roads to the Ring of Fire. Today is about connecting communities, through modern legacy infrastructure, to improved health, social and economic futures.”

The Marten Falls Community Access Road is scheduled to open by November 2031, four years ahead of schedule. Crews will start clearing trees, setting up a work camp and establishing access to aggregate sites along the route. As the longest segment of the proposed 514-kilometre network of all-season roads, it will span 184 kilometres and include 35 bridges and culverts, connecting Marten Falls First Nation to the provincial highway network for the first time and improving year-round access to health care, social services and economic opportunities.

In November 2025, Ontario and Marten Falls First Nation signed a historic Community Partnership Agreement to advance community priority initiatives and critical infrastructure, supporting the community’s vision for improved connectivity, access to essential services and future economic opportunities, while ensuring that Marten Falls First Nation has a meaningful role in development, construction and maintenance of the road. As work moves forward, Ontario remains committed to meeting its duty to consult.

“Today marks the beginning of a new chapter for Marten Falls First Nation,” said Chief Achneepineskum. “The approval of the Community Access Road reflects the vision, determination and leadership of generations of our people who worked toward creating a permanent, year-round connection to the provincial highway network. This road is about more than transportation — it is about reducing the challenges of living in a remote community and creating new opportunities for our people. Reliable, year-round access will strengthen connections to health care, education, essential services, affordable goods and help accelerate community growth. We are grateful to everyone who shared their knowledge and perspectives throughout the community-led environmental assessment process, and we look forward to the benefits this road will bring to our members, our families and the generations that follow.”

Construction on the Marten Falls Community Access Road continues the momentum on Ontario’s accelerated plan to complete roads to the Ring of Fire. Under the accelerated plan, pending all necessary approvals and consultation:

• Construction on the Webequie Supply Road started in June 2026 and will be open by November 2030, four years ahead of schedule
• Upgrades to Anaconda and Painter Lake Roads started in June 2026, two years ahead of schedule
• The Northern Road Link is scheduled to start construction in spring 2028 and open by November 2031, five years ahead of schedule.

“Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government is making historic investments in highway infrastructure to drive economic growth across the province as we continue our work to build a stronger, more resilient and self-reliant economy,” said Minister Sarkaria. “Accelerating the construction of Ring of Fire roads demonstrates our commitment to cementing Ontario’s position as a world leader in the critical minerals space and supporting all-season road access for First Nations and driving economic growth across Northern Ontario.”

Today’s announcement is part of the government’s plan to unlock the economic potential of the Ring of Fire region. As the global demand for critical minerals needed to manufacture electric vehicles, batteries, modern defence technologies and advanced manufacturing continues to grow, Ontario has the deposits, skilled workforce, expertise and business-friendly investment climate to secure the province’s place as the most competitive jurisdiction in the G7 to invest, create jobs and do business.

"Canada is under attack, and Ontario is moving with unrelenting speed to build our economy and protect our sovereignty. There is nothing President Trump can do to slow us down as we get shovels in the ground five years ahead of schedule on the roads to the Ring of Fire, creating 70,000 good-paying Canadian jobs. In the days ahead, we will build further momentum as investors move to advanced exploration across the region — the final step to unlocking vast mineral wealth and generational jobs. Under Premier Ford, Ontario is moving with speed, having already cut permit timelines in half, Ontario has emerged as the world’s reliable mining partner and the number one Canadian destination for mining investment."
- Stephen Lecce, Minister of Energy and Mines

Quick Facts

• Ontario’s Ring of Fire region, located approximately 500 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay and covering about 8,000 square kilometres, represents enormous economic potential due to its vast supply of critical minerals.
• Marten Falls First Nation is a remote Anishinaabe community approximately 400 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay, located where the Albany and Ogoki Rivers meet. It is accessible by air and by a winter road seasonally.
• All-season road access to Marten Falls First Nation will reduce transportation costs, facilitate access to key services and improve economic conditions in the community while increasing business development and job opportunities because of road construction, road maintenance, critical minerals exploration and mine development.
• In June, the province broke ground on the Geraldton Main Street Rehabilitation Project, a key gateway leading to the Ring of Fire.
• To support opportunities for Indigenous equity, ownership and partnership in critical mineral and infrastructure development, Ontario is investing nearly $3.1 billion through a mix of loans, grants and scholarships.
• To provide strategic financial support to projects that accelerate processing of the province’s critical minerals, Ontario officially launched the $500-million Critical Minerals Processing Fund.
• Ontario is investing $31 billion to build, repair and expand highways, roads and bridges across the province.

SOURCE:
Office of the Premier
Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation